Norwich City: Borja Sainz analysed after Championship award

Jonathan Rowe and Gabriel Sara had departed, leaving Norwich City with a 27-goal black hole to address. While Canaries fans waited for transfer news and exciting arrivals, they looked deep into their squad for anyone who could step up.

There they found Sainz, whose promising introduction to English football had included eight goals, two assists and a whole host of impressive performances. They found a player with clear talent, but whose ability to realise it came in fits and starts, alongside the occasional red card.

Enter Johannes Hoff Thorup, the head coach brought in to lead a new era of progression, points and the style of play to match it. Barely a question was asked without 'possession' or 'attacking' somewhere in the answer, with fans licking their lips at every word he spoke. There's a good chance his attacking players were, too.

Johannes Hoff Thorup's football is geared to players like Sainz (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) Among them was Sainz, who has undoubtedly taken the mantle that many hoped he would from Sara and Rowe. Be it goals, assists, flair or maverick qualities, the Spaniard's status among the new generation of City heroes is clear. But it hasn't all been plain sailing.

Even during the September he earned the Championship player of the month award for, there were tribulations. Sainz battled through illness to feature in the 1-0 loss to Swansea, missing a series of gilt-edged chances to equalise late in the game.

There was a gesture made towards travelling fans he felt were unjustified in the extent of their criticism, and he walked off the pitch in South Wales cutting a frustrated and disappointed figure. Few signs remained of the child-like optimism that defined his attacking exploits.

Sainz struggled as recently as last month's trip to Swansea (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) The effect of that experience, however, was to motivate Sainz to prove others wrong. Replenished, renewed and ready to highlight his talents, the 23-year-old emerged for the following meeting with Watford looking hungrier than ever. Most importantly, he delivered the goods.

The celebration following his clever finish was almost as noteworthy as the goal itself, as he placed one finger on his lips and another on his temple. Just a week after he'd been asked to deliver on his promise, he'd done so with a vital strike on the brink of half-time.

That statement appeared again when he opened the scoring at Derby, a reminder that he hadn't quite forgotten the criticism extended 14 days earlier. But at this point his form was becoming a phenomenon, and the day's further two goals prompted simple joy (with a little goading of the home fans).

The Spaniard silenced doubters with a series of September goals (Image: Martyn Haworth/Focus Images Ltd)His hat-trick at Pride Park made it six league goals for the season, matching the tally he produced in the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign. He'd done enough to scoop that EFL award, now all he needed was to add assists.

Anyone who'd paid attention previously should have known he'd find two in the subsequent 4-0 win over Hull, meaning he now needs just one further goal contribution before June to improve on his total for last term. Consider his delightful lob against the Tigers and right place, right time goals versus Blackburn Rovers and Coventry, and it's been pretty close to perfect from the Spaniard so far.

The next frontier is consistency, the missing piece of the puzzle he still needs to find to prove he belongs in the same bracket as Sara or Rowe, even Emi Buendia or James Maddison before them. Much like this City side at large, it takes time to go from good to great.

Consistency will be Sainz's next target (Image: Martyn Haworth/Focus Images Ltd) But he's made a fine start, and outstripped the expectations of even his biggest supporters going into what felt like a pivotal campaign for the winger. If you'd have offered anyone of a yellow and green persuasion the chance to have him top of the golden boot race during the second international break, they'd have bitten your hand off.

Nothing's won in October, though, and there's still plenty of work for Sainz to do. Once again the stage is set, but this time the pressure is just a little bit greater.

Sainz’s strikes: How Borja topped the charts

Goal 1: Blackburn (H) – Starting with a nice and easy return to the scoresheet, Sainz could hardly miss when Josh Sargent found him in space for City’s second goal in a 2-2 draw with Blackburn.

Goal 2: Coventry (A) – It might not have been quite as easy as his first of the campaign, but the Spaniard’s match-winning Coventry goal benefited hugely from a defensive deflection as it beat Oliver Dovin from 11 yards.

Goal 3: Watford (H) – Kenny McLean’s long pass was perfect, but there was still plenty for Sainz to do when he latched onto it. That wasn’t a problem for the 23-year-old, however, who raced through on goal and slid home at the near post.

Goal 4: Derby (A) – It was mired in controversy as the Derby players protested that Josh Sargent had failed to keep the ball in play, but that mattered little to Sainz after his clever flick opened the scoring.

Goal 5: Derby (A) – The Spaniard’s second goal of the afternoon didn’t possess the same flare as his first, but it was certainly as impressive as he smashed into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Goal 6: Derby (A) – And completing a first career hat-trick was the first simple finish of the lot, squeezing the ball past Jacob Widell Zetterström after a rapid counter-attack.

Goal 7: Hull (H) – Norwich had already scored thrice when Sainz took Callum Doyle’s pass down, and he simply had to get in on the act. He did so with a delicious lob, turning comfortable victory into thrashing.